Headlight



Pamesa Mn. 13, '1928.

UNITED `STATES BURTON E. MELTON, 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

HEADLIGHT.

Application led. .Tune 1,

The present invention relates to improvements in headlights for vehicles, and is ideally adapted for use in connection with motor vehicles. y

ln instances where a parabolic reflector is used in connection with reflecting the light from a vehicular headlight, the ietlected rays do not always extend along lines parallel with the a'xis of the reflector. This isbecause of aberrations in the surface of the reflector or a lack of proper relation ibetween the. source of light and the focus of the reflecting surface. When either of these conditions operates to cause the reflected rays to extend upwardly and outwardly, suoli rays enter the line of vision of thedrivers of on-coming vehicles and produce what is known as glaring; Glarin headlights as is 0 Y `well known are objectionable and give rise to dangerous conditions in tratlic moving in opposite directions. y

In instances where the source of light in any headlight is simply arranged in the f0- cus of the reflector, it is obvious that conF siderable of the rays pass directly outward wit-hout reflection, with the result that considerable loss in the possible volume of light is had.

Coming now to the present invention, the general object thereof is a headlight provided with means adapted for preventingl upward and outward reflection of light rays and to provide for the reflection of all the Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail cross section 1926, Serial No. 112,948.

on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows, and l Figure 4 is al detail side elevation partly 1n section of the inner portion of the base of the reflecting compartm-ent.V i

The casing a of the headlight of the present invention .is preferably of metal and oblong in contour and rectangular in crosssectioii shown. Fo the 'purpose of illustration l have shownl the present structure attached for use in connection with a motor vehicle. It is, of course, to be understood that where the present inventionis to be used in any other capacity that would' require the casing to be changed in point of size or otherwise, that such change may be inade without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The casing herein shown may be provided with any suitable nieans for attachment to a vehicle.

In the present instance I have shown a standard 5 as extending downwardly from the middle portion of the lower side and at the rear end of the casing. This standard is of a height to support the casing a for a. suitable distance above the part to which the standard may be connected by suitable faste-n'ing devices passing through a base flange 6. b indicates generally the body of the re- Hector of the present invention. This body is so constructed that its reflecting surface 7 is made up of a plurality of sections 22,

each section being a portion of a semi-parabolic surface in longitudinal section and semi-circular in cross section. As shown the body b is oblong and is arranged within casing a, the lower opposite sides 8 and 9 of the body bearing upon lthe lower side 10 of casing a. In that the said lower side is not a reflector, it is obvious'that there can be no upward or outward reflection of light rays where the reflecting' surface 7 is prop-.`

orly constructed so as to reflect lightrays parallel with the axis of the reflector. Provision is made aththe inner portion of the lower side and at the inner portion of the body b for the reception of a socket 11 adapted for supporting an ordinary electric globe 12 with its filament 13 in the focus 0f 'posite side portions centsldes of adjacent strips 24. The remote reflector' b. In this connection it is to be noted that the inner portion of the lower side 10 is recessed as at 14 so that the filament may be arranged directly within the focus of the reflector. 15 is a hennspherical refleeting surface formed on the inner surface of a body 16 which is disposed so as'to extend around the lower segment of globe l2 which extends below the lower side wall 10. The forward end of body 16 is extended slightly upward, as at 17, and is adapted for supporting a body 18 provided with a curved retlectin surface 19 which is located forwardly and eyond the focus of reflector b. It is to be noted that the surface 19 is located above the lower side 10 of the casing and is arranged so as to intercept the rays of light extending directly forward and outward from the filament and to direct these rays upon the surface 7 of the reflector Z). In that the location of body 18 is beyond the focus of reflector b, it is obvious that the rays reflected by the body 18 will be rereilectcd downwardly and outwardly by the surface 7, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, and as indicated by 20. The downwardly and outwardly reflected rays 20 serve to illuminate the roadway directly in front of the vehicle to which the headlight is attached, while the rays which are reflected forwardly and parallel with the axis of the reflector, and as indicated by 21, operate in the usual manner to illuminate the area far in advance of the vehicle.

'I`he provision of reflecting surface 15 operates to reilectthe light rays which extend downwardly and outwardly from the lilament and direct these light rays upon the rear portion of reflecting surface 7, from whence they are again reflected outwardly and forwardly in the ordinary manner. It is to be noted that the supplemental reflecting surfaces provided by the reflecting surfaces 15 and 19 operate to prevent any lost in the amount of reflection on the part of surface 7, and thereby prevent the direct rays from the filament from moving forwardly and outwardly.

It is to be noted that body b conforms substantially in contour to the shell of asemi-paraboloid and while any preferred construction may he. used for the shell, I have found it expedient to .construct the same of sections, each of which is made up of a. strip of metal with a silvered rellecting surface. The strips which are indicated generally by 22 are oblong and have converging sides.- In the drawings I Vhave shown the middle strip 23 extending through the middleportion of casing a with its opunderlapping the adjasides of strips 24-underlap adjacent sides of adjacent str1 s 25, and the remotesides of the latter un erlap strips 26. The stripsv 27 adjacent to the strips 26 have their opposite sides overlapping remote sides of strips 2G and strips 28, and a second series of strips 2t) with their adjacent side portions lapping one another forni downward conlinuatons ol' the body b from the strips 28. In that the outer ends oll the strips are in a ronunon plane and bear substantially upon the lens 30 forming the closure for the outer end of the casing a, it is obvious the strips to either side of the central strip 23 are graduated and progressively increase in length to and including the strips 27, while the remainder of the strips extending downwardly from the strips 27 progressively decrease in length.

The body 1G may be formed of metal and shaped as shown and of a size to form a closure for a portion of recess 14. For convenience the body 16 may be hinged as at 3 so as to open downwardly and rearwardly and afford access to the globe 12 through the recess 14. When in its operative position, the body 16 may be latchcd to a sliding latch plate 3l arranged in a guide 32 on the lower face of the lower side wall 10 and disposed so as to extend over the portion of the recess 14 beyond the body v16 and form a closure therefor, the engaged end of the latch being adapted to enter a detent or recess in the forward end of the body 16 as shown in Figures 1 and 4. The body 18 forming the second supplemental reflector may be of metal as shown. This body is preferably oblong in contour and has a compound curvature in transverse section. For supporting the sections 22 of the reflector use may be made of a pair of transversely disposed yokes 33 disposed transversely within the casing a and formed of metal. As shown two of these yokes are employed and located adjacent to the opposite ends of. the body b' and disposed transversely of the outer surface thereof made u of the outer surface of theystrips 22. llhe inner side portions of the yokes are provided with a plurality of recesses 34 for receivin the strips 22. The recesses are arrange in Aechelon to either side of a centrally disposed lug 35 in order to accommodate the arrangement of the strips 22. Each strip 22 as will be noted in Figures 1 and 3 is provided in the middle portion of its outer surface with spaced lugs 36 and 37 which bear on the s oulders at the inner ends of the recesses 34 and suitable fastening devices, such as screws 38, are screwed throu h openings in the lugs and into Vthe shoul ers, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. With this construction the strips ment and vibration.

The lens 30 is secured by the usual frame 39 and fastening devices, such as screws 40," screwed into a shoulder 41 formed in the outer end of the, casing.

that the lengths ofare rigidly held against displace- Although I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood Athat; the same is susceptible of various chan es; and I reserve the rightl to l employ suc Aas may come within the scope of the appended claim. f

I claim: A headlight comprising a casing having a rectangularIy-shaped opening, a source of light disposed in said casing, and taplurality 10 o parabolic-shaped strips moun in said cas1ng,each strlp extending from a. point adjacent to the source of light to the open end of said casing, said strlps being olf-set to outline a substantially rectangular openl5 ing that'coincides with the opening in said casing.

BURTON E. MELTON. 

